Lies in the Time of COVID-19 Part VIII

May 20, 2020

With the spread of COVID-19 impacting the world, the United States Agency for Global Media and its networks have remained committed to providing accurate and unbiased information about the coronavirus, clarifying any misinformation, and exposing disinformation related to the pandemic.

VOA Russian’s Social Distancing show featured anthropologist Alexandra Arkhipova, who discussed the origins of disinformation and myths about the novel coronavirus, and how to identify them, receiving over 28,000 views on Facebook.

RFE/RL paid special attention to the controversy surrounding Russia’s underreporting of COVID- 19-related deaths. According to several prominent Western news organizations – such as the New York Times and the Financial Times – Russian authorities are undercounting the number of pandemic-related deaths, instead classifying them based on their direct cause (e.g. pneumonia or heart failure), suggesting that the true death toll could be over 70% higher than currently reported. Current Time’s weekly Footage vs. Footage show also looked at underreporting of the COVID-19 death rate in Russia, as well as at the toll the pandemic is taking among Orthodox clergy due to church leadership initially dismissing the threat.

RFA reported on the detention of citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, who reported on the emerging coronavirus epidemic in Wuhan. He was arrested on charges of “picking quarrels and stirring up trouble,” which is often used to target peaceful critics of the CCP.

Coronavirus Resources

The U.S. government has provided guidance for people concerned about the spread of the coronavirus. Visit the sites below for more information.